Solenoid-operated fuel-feeding device



Dec. 27, 1921. 1,653,885

W. VAN GUILDER SOLENOID OPERATED FUEL. FEEDING DEVICE Original Filed Oct. 20. 1924 iffl F234,

Parsifal'- Dec. 27, 1921.

y UNITED STATES" Y 1,653,885 PATENroFFl-CE.

'W ALTER 'VAN GUILDER, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO lS'IEHAR/ ll-W AIR/NBER SPEEDOMETEIL CORIORATIQN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION`OF 'VIB- ernia.

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Application led October 2, 1924, Serial No. 744,583. Renewed May 12, 1927.

The application is a continuation in of my application Serial No. 633,751, April 21, 1923. f'

The purpose of this invention' .is

to provide a solenoid operated pumping device for Figure 3 is atop plan view of the shown in Figure 1. Figure 4. is a top shown in Figure 2. 4 v,

The structure shown in the drawingsfcon.- siste of a fuel supply tank designed to be mounted in position to supply fuel to the plan `View of the form c'arbureter gravity flow, and connected for deriving its own supply .from a lower source by pumping means mounted upon and constituting structurally vpart of said fuel supply tank. The pumpingmeans consists of a diaphragm pump whose diaphragm is vibrated by reciprocation ofthe core of a solenoid whose energizing circuit is periodically interrupted to produce such recipvro'cation of the core vand vibration of the diaphragm.

A is the fuel accumulation chamber oi the fuel supplytank having its top formed of y two plates, B and C', clamped together in mounting them upon the top of the body, A, of the accumulation chamber, and marginally binding between them the flexible diaphragm, 'Dr The lower halfv of `the diaphragm'chamber which is formed by` registering recesses on the -inner sides of the two plates, B and C, has a jfuel inlet port, ZJ, connected with a fuel supply pipe, E, which leads from a low level fuel source not shown. This inlet port," l), desirably is` provided with a check valve, e, opening for inflow of the fuel into the diaphragm chamber below the diaphragm, andseating in the opposite direction to prevent back flow toward the low level fuel source. This chamber member, B, has also a port, b1, for delivery of the fuel into the accumulating chamber A. This port is provided with a one-way seating valve, b2., opening for delivery of the fuel by gravity from the diar phragm chamber to the accumulating chamber, A. It may be provided with a\light spring, Z921, for holding it normally seated upwardly, but such spring may be dispensed with by making the valve as shown in the form of a light disk stopped at its open position so near toits seat that it will be 4seated by the suction resulting vfrom the retraction of the diaphragm by the solenoid core. The

upper member, C, of the diaphragm chamber is extended at its center to form a housing Dlpof a solenoid com rising the solenoid tube, F, and winding, which are retained in the housing by an'annular foot plate, f. The reciprocating core, F2, of the solenoid is attached at its lower end to the center o f the diaphragm, D; and at the normal posi-` tion of the diaphragm the core extends int-o the diaphragm tube only part way toward the position to which the lsolenoid when energized tends to draw it. That is,.so that upon energizing thesolenoid the core is retracted and the diaphragm is up-lifted at its center, causing a sectional in-pull of liquidfuel through the pipe, E, and past the check valve, e; and upon solenoid circuit and release of the core, the

`subsidence ofthe diaphragm to normal position `causes or permits the out-How past the check valve, b2, of the liquid fuel thus drawn l intoA the diaphragm chamber below the dia-` phragm. f

The'solenoid winding is shown connected at one end with the ignition coil of the enthe interruption of the` gine, indicated at H, and at the other end with one contact segment of the timer indicated at L, soy that the solenoid circuit is energized coincidentally with the ignition of' the selected one of the cylinders of the enine, and is interrupted during the period of ignition ofthe remaining cylinders. It may be understood that any convenient form of. commutator arrangement may be employed fordinterrupting the ,energizing of the solenoi From the upper plate, C, of the diaphragm chamber which constitutes the cap or cover of the accumulating chamber, A, there is kextended a circuit shunting or solenoid cutout chamber, V, into whose upper end there is set an insulated contact screw, V1, to which a thrust rod, X, which extends down through one of the circuit wires leading to or from the solenoid winding is connected, so that said screw is in the solenoid energizing circuit. From a selected segment of the timer, L, the circuit wire, V3, is extended through apertures, fu, fu, in' the Wall of the chamber, V, to reach the lower end of the solenoid winding, said wire being connected. within the. chamber, V, to a terminal, B4, which is insulatedly mounted upon the upperend of the' cap comprising the plates, B and C, of the accumulating chamber, and within that chamber is operably connected with a lever, T, fulcrumed at t, and supporting by means of a link, T1, a float-,- W, positioned in the chamber, A, so as to be upheld by the liquid accumulated in that chamber to a predetermined depth. t

From the foregoing description `it ivill be 'understood that 'the operation of the construction described as shown in Figure l is as follows: The engine being 1n operation, the

. solenoid circuit 1s alternately energized and deenergized, causing the core` F2, to be retracted and uplift the diaphragm and release it in the inter-vals between theA energizing, thereby pumping the liquid up from the low level source into the diaphragm chamber below the diaphragm from which in the intervals of de-energizing of the solenoid permitting recession of the diaphragm, the liquid flows into the accumulation chamber, A, and may accumulate .therein until the float, W, is lifted far enough to cause the level, `T, to actuate the rod` X, thrusting the insulated Contact cap, B4, up into contact with the contact screw, V1, thereby cutting out the portion of the circuit in which the solenoid is energized and closing the circuit directly from-the timer segment to the ignition coil, and preventing any action of the solenoid so long as the liquid level in the accumulating chamber remains high enough to maintain the contact between the parts, B4r and B1. The pumping oper- `ation will thereby be interrupted until enough fuel is withdrawn from the accumulating chamber. A, to supply the engine to permit the lioat to fall far enough to separate the contacts, B4 and B1, and permit the solenoid to be alternately energized and de-energized by the connection with the timer circuit. The purpose ot the spring, X2, which is shown interposed on the rod, X, betiveen the` cover member, B, and the abutment, ai, which affords the engagement of the lever, T, With said rod, X, is to yieldingly resist the upward movement of the float and cause it to become submerged to a predetermined depth beyond the point of normal balance indicated by the liquid level in full line at m, m, on Figure 1, until the liquid has -risen to. the level indicated by the dotted line, n, a; so that when t-he pumpthe solenoid as described, it shall not be resumed until the liquid level has fallen the distance indicated between the two levels, fin, m, and n, n.

In the form shown in Figure 2 the means for grounding the solenoid energizing circuit and temporarily defeatingthe operation of the solenoid is dispensed with and instead of thus defeating the operation of the solenoid, `the lever, T, is connected with the valve, Z120, corresponding to the valve, 712, of Fig. l, so that at the high position of the tloat'at which in the form shown in F i'. l the solenoid circuit is grounded, the va ve, 722, is held seated by the buoyant eli'ort of the float" with sufficient force to resist both the resilient reaction and the gravity action of the diaphragm, D, in the intervals of euergizing the solenoid; so that while the diaphragm will continue to be alternately upheld and released by the solenoid, it will in fact' remain at the position to which it is,

nplifted by the solenoid core, and no pump- 'ing action will result so long as the fioat, W, holds the valve, b'f', seated; but upon suliichamber, A, for sulnnerging the float, lV, until v the resistance ot' the spring holding the valve seated exceeds the force of gravity and that exerted by the resiliency of the dialiihragm for delivering liquid from the diaphragm chamber past the valve, h2o. ln this form the spring, b21, operates with the same effect as the spring, X2, as in thc form shown in Figure l, viz, to cause an interval between the suspension and resumption of the pumping while the liquid level l'alls in the accumulating chamber from the high level to which it rises while the spring is ,being co1npressed, to the lower level at which the float is in balanced condition as to its submergence.

I claim:

. 1. A device for a. fuel feed tank for internal vcombustion engines comprising in combination with a fuel-receiving chamber and an accunmlatintr chamber into which rLacasse a reciprocable core operatively connected to said movable wall for moving it to alternately. enlarge and reduce the receiving chamber, for pumping fuel therethrough into the accumulating chamber; means for interrupting the'solen'oid circuit to arrest the pumping, comprisinga shunt circuit by-passiiig the solenoid havinir .a normally openV gap, and means operated by the liquidaccumulated-in the accumulating chamberv for carrying one of the contacts at said gap and movingv the same to close the gap upon the rise of fuel in the fuel accumulating chamber toa predetermined high level.

2. In a 'construction forthe purpose indicated, comprising a receiving chamber and an accumulating chamber and solenoid-operated means `for pumping liquid fuel through thel receiving chamber into the accumulatinglchamber, in combination with the solenoid-energizing circuit', a'shunt circuit for by-passing the solenoid, said shunt circuit comprisin separable contacts," one of which is mounted exteriorly `of both chambersand the other ofwhich is carried by a i connection extending intov the accumulating chamber and operated forclosing 'the shunt circuit by the accumulation of liquid in said chamber to a predetermined high level.

3. A device for a fuel feeding apparatus forinternal combustion engines comprising in combination, a fuel receiving chamber havin inlet and outlet Vportsvalve-controlle for one-wa movement of fuel through said cham er, one wall of said chamber being movable for enlarging and re- 4 ducing said chamber; a solenoid mounted on said receiving chamber having a reciprocable armature operatively connected to said moving wall for moving it to alternately enlarge 4. In the'construction defined Yin claim 3,

the circuit in which the solenoid is energized being in shunt with the ignition circuit of the .engine served, whereby the interrupter of the ignition circuit causes the solenoid to be alternately energized and de-energized for reciprocating the solenoid armature, said ignition circuit having a gap between the connections of the shunt circuit therewith, the separate means for opening and closing the circuit being means for opening and closing said gap, whereby the closing of the gap- Vshort-circuits the solenoid for arresting the pumping7 and the opening of the gap causes the solenoid to be energized for pumping.

5. A fuel feeding apparatus forinternal combustion engines comprising in combination, a fuel receiving chamber having inlet and outlet poits valve-controlled for oneway movement of fuel through said chamber, one .wall of said chamber being inovablefor enlarging and reducingsaid chamber; a solenoid mounted on said receiving chamber having a reciprocable armature operatively connected to said moving wall for moving it to alternatelyv enlarge and reduce the chamber; the engine. ignition circuit and the interrupte'r thereof, the solenoid winding being in'circuit with the timer of the ignition circuit, whereby the energizing of the solenoid is interrupted correspondingly with interruptions inthe ignition circuit; and separate means for closing and opening the circuit to arrestand resume the pumpingcomprising a part movable for that purpose, and operating connections to said part controlled by the lfuel supplied bythe pump.

6. A device for a fuel feed tank for internal combustion engines comprising in combination a fuel receiving chamber having inlet and outlet ports valve-controlled for one-way movement of fuel through said chamber, one wall of said chamber being movable for enlarging and reducing said chamber; a solenoid mounted at the outer side of said chamber having a reciprocable armature operatively connected to4 said moving wall for moving it to alternately enlarge and reduce the chamber, the solenoid winding being in circuit with the timer of the ignition circuit of the engine, whereby it is interruptedly energized, the circuit connections including a shunt circuit comprising the solenoid winding and having a normally open gap and means whose operation is governed by the quantity of liquid discharged from said chamber for closing the gap upon the discharge of a predetermined quantity. i

'7'. In a construction for the purpose indi- 'cated oomprising'a receiving chamber and an accumulating chamber and solenoid-operated means for pumping liquid fuel through the receiving chamber into the accumulating y chamber, the solenoid winding being in circuit with the timer of the ignition circuit of an internal .combustion engine, whereby the solenoid is interruptedly energized, the circuit connections including a shunt circuit comprising the solenoid winding, and separable contacts, one of which is mounted eX- teriorly of both chambers, and the other of which is carried by a connection extending into the accumulating chamber and operated for closing the shunt circuit by the accumulation of liquid in said chamber to a predetermined high level.

8. A construction for the purpose indicated comprising a receiving chamber, and

timer of the ignition circuit of the engine served, the circuit connection with the timer being made with one Contact segment only of the timer, whereby the interruptions in the energizing of the solenoid occur once only in each cycle of the engine.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois, this 17th day of October, 1924.

WALTER VANGUILDER. 

